Incarnate Word running back Ra’Quanne Dickens had permanent gold grills fitted to the top row of his six front teeth when he was 16 years old. A popular accessory for hip-hop celebrities, grills were part of the culture in Dickens’ home of Seminole, Fla., he said.

Now, some of his teammates call him “Hollywood.”

“Every time I smile, I make other people smile,” Dickens said. “So, it’s like contagious. It’s kind of a cool chain reaction.”

Dickens and the Cardinals have had plenty of reason to smile this year. First-year coach Eric Morris has sparked an offensive turnaround, driving Incarnate Word to a 3-2 overall record and 3-0 in the Southland Conference heading into Saturday’s matchup at Lamar.

The Cardinals finished 1-10 last season and have won more than three conference games only once since joining the Southland in 2014.

“I’m really not surprised right now,” Morris said. “I know a lot of people probably are outside of the program, but I’ve seen them for seven months. I’ve seen the determination, the will, the way they practice, and the way they do it together. They love one another, and they believe in themselves, which is key.”

The Cardinals this week received votes in the American Football Coaches Association FCS Coaches Top 25 Poll and the STATS FCS Top 25 Media Poll for the first time in the program’s 10-year history.

“I’m extremely proud of us,” said offensive lineman Terence Hickman, a Judson High School graduate. “We knew we could do it from the beginning. Not many people outside did.”

Dickens echoed that sentiment.

“Honestly, we expected this,” he said. “It’s not a surprise to any of us. ... We’re not finished. We haven’t showed what we’re really capable of.”

Morris revamped Incarnate Word’s attack, implementing the up-tempo, air raid style he utilized from 2013-17 as Texas Tech’s offensive coordinator. The system was invented and popularized by Mike Leach, the former Tech coach whom Morris worked under at Washington State in 2012. Morris played wide receiver under Leach at Tech from 2004 to 2008.

The Cardinals average 34.6 points and a Southland Conference-leading 472.2 yards per game — more than 8 points and 100 yards better than in any of Incarnate Word’s previous five FCS seasons. Last year, Incarnate Word averaged 21.1 points and 293.2 yards per game.

“A complete 180, for sure,” Hickman said.

Incarnate Word’s offense is not a carbon copy of Texas Tech’s, Morris said. Many of the passing concepts are similar, but Morris said the run principles come from offensive line coach Jordan Shoemaker.

Air raid offenses typically lean on zone blocking concepts, but Morris said Incarnate Word has maintained more man techniques, with offensive linemen pulling through gaps. The Cardinals have run for 204.4 yards per game this season — a higher average than any team Morris coached at Tech.

“We put our own little twist on it,” Morris said.

The biggest question facing the offense coming into the season was true freshman quarterback Jon Copeland, Morris said. At Tech, Morris worked with four NFL quarterbacks: Patrick Mahomes, Baker Mayfield, Davis Webb and Nic Shimonek.

Morris said the jury was still out after Copeland threw for one touchdown against three interceptions during his first two games. He’s tallied eight passing scores against three picks in the three games since. For the year, he is completing 50 percent of his passes and averaging 265.8 yards per game.

“He knows what his weaknesses are, and he’s done a good job at working to correct those weaknesses,” Morris said. “So, really, pleasantly surprised at how he’s progressed.”

Dickens is averaging 123.6 yards per game with eight touchdowns. Four receivers have at least 200 yards and a touchdown, led by Phillip Baptiste with 22 catches for 424 yards and four scores.

More than creating change on the field, Morris, 32, said he aimed to alter the program’s culture with a group of young coaches focused on bringing energy.

“The biggest thing I saw when I first got here is I didn’t think these kids believed in themselves,” Morris said. “Any time you’re working with 18- to 22-year-olds, the first step in being good at anything is believing that you can do something.”

He said developing a new mentality is an everyday process. He set out to raise a GPA that he said was “really low” when he arrived and to grow his student-athletes into more respectful “better civilians.”

Baptiste said Morris is “very genuine” off the field, willing to help anyone from the starters through the walk-ons with problems unrelated to football.

“As soon as they came in, we knew things were changing,” Baptiste said. “They came in and gained our respect from showing us what they know, what they can do and how they can show that they care about us.”

Incarnate Word players described the practice atmosphere as more fun, excited, loud and upbeat compared to last year. But they said that change hasn’t come from winning. Rather, the new mentality has been a constant since Morris and his staff took over.

Wide receiver Kody Edwards said recent success has only humbled the Cardinals. They still feel like the underdog in every game.

“We really haven’t proven too much to the world yet,” Edwards said. “It’s a big statement we’re trying to make this year.”